Part I. Commercial Crop Agriculture Project Planning

• Introduction to commercial crop agriculture and commercial crop production
• Feasibility study for commercial agricultural production: project proposal, finance, investment planning and technical requirements
• Prospecting for land and evaluating suitability (location, soil quality and dispute avoidance)
• Investment requirements – startup capital financing – personal savings, loans, grants, equity, partnerships, investors
• Technical farm management requirements – selecting appropriate crops, farming calendar, crop rotation, irrigation, pest and disease prevention/control, water management, food safety
• Placement for marketing and selling produce – research and analysis, branding, product differentiation

Part II. Technical Aspects in Commercial Crop Agriculture

• Introduction to Crop Science and Agronomy
• Commercial Crop Farming
• Types of crops and cultivation practices
• Soil management and plant nutrition
• Integrated pest and disease management
• Irrigation systems and water management
• Harvesting and post-harvest techniques
• Precision agriculture and farming technologies
• Plant breeding and crop improvement
• Farm data management and record keeping
• Enterprise positioning and market targeting
• Value Chain and agribusiness development

Part III. Technology and Mechanization in Commercial Crop Agriculture

• Computer applications, computerization and farm management information systems
• Farm infrastructure and machinery
• Farm power and energy sources
• Advanced cultivation techniques - precision farming, hydroponics, aeroponics
• Agro-processing and value addition

Part IV. Practical/supervised attachment

Assignment, supervision, report writing and assessment